February 13, 2007

I was once asked why I didn't have more empathy with the political left. "I don't dislike myself enough," I said, largely in jest. But as time has passed this offhand remark seems less flippant. I've often wondered at what point a political leaning becomes a performance, then a pantomime, and finally a mental health issue. At some point ideology can be so unmoored from external reality that it serves as little more than an expression of a person's feelings about themselves. - Source

In our post titled Bad Faith And The Phantom Guilt Syndrome we wrote of David Thompson's article addressing grievance politics and the cultivation of pretentious 'sensitivity' by the political left. Yesterday, Amanda Marcotte, John Edward's potty-mouthed blogger, apparently resigned via an "Announcement" at her blog. Although "pretentious sensitivity" is definitely not Marcotte's problem, something else Thompson said came to mind the very moment I read the first few lines of her post. His comments seemed to apply as much to Marcotte's problem, if not more, than the issue of pretentious sensitivity that he was addressing in his piece.

Simply put, Amanda Marcotte is - nuts, her political leaning has now gone beyond performance and has finally become a mental health issue. Her political ideology has become so unmoored from external reality that it serves as little more than an expression of her personal feelings about herself. Take a look at how she frames herself as a victim, right out of the chute:

I was hired by the Edwards campaign for the skills and talents I bring to the table, and my willingness to work hard for what's right. Unfortunately, Bill Donohue and his calvacade of right wing shills don't respect that a mere woman like me could be hired for my skills, and pretended that John Edwards had to be held accountable for some of my personal, non-mainstream views on religious influence on politics (I'm anti-theocracy, for those who were keeping track). Bill Donohue--anti-Semite, right wing lackey whose entire job is to create non-controversies in order to derail liberal politics--has been running a scorched earth campaign to get me fired for my personal beliefs and my writings on this blog.

In fact, he's made no bones about the fact that his intent is to "silence" me, as if he--a perfect stranger--should have a right to curtail my freedom of speech. Why? Because I'm a woman? Because I'm pro-choice? Because I'm not religious? All of the above, it seems.

... Regardless, it was creating a situation where I felt that every time I coughed, I was risking the Edwards campaign. No matter what you think about the campaign, I signed on to be a supporter and a tireless employee for them, and if I can't do the job I was hired to do because Bill Donohue doesn't have anything better to do with his time than harass me, then I won't do it. I resigned my position today and they accepted.

Need I say more?

Poor Amanda Marcotte needs all our prayers and sympathies, and of course - anger management classes, while in rehab to receive treatment for ""poor me syndrome." Once she's out of rehab, perhaps she might consider learning how to speak and right without having to use vulgarities and profanity to express herself, something she apparently was never taught as a child.

As for the role of Edwards' and his campaign in this little drama, not much more can be said. Apparently, for the Edwards campaign, reaching out to those on the Left, those people David Thompson refers to as being "unmoored from external reality," is more important than reaching the voters with more rational minds.

I can't help but wonder, did Amanda Marcotte really think up this resignation idea all by herself? Stop! Go no further with such speculation. Next thing you know we'll be wearing those tin hats.